The Common Ills: Iraq snapshot

Tuesday, October 09, 2018

Iraq snapshot

Tuesday, October 9, 2018. The Iraq War continues, the US continues to occupy Iraq and the Iraqi people continue to suffer. Useless idiots like Alyssa Milano pretend not to notice. But we can make a difference with this month's March On The Pentagon.

I'm tired.

‏ @ShermeenSarbast

#حمودي_المطيري
To the #LGBTQ community and activists around the world, a 14 year old kid from #Iraq was filmed being tortured, mutilated, and murdered.
His last words were "I want to see my mother"
Please raise awareness about this in order to pressure authorities to take action 

8 retweets8 likes

Aren't you tired?

This is an important story. Also an important story? The attacks on Iraqi women which we've covered here repeatedly and made the topic of THIRD's "Editorial: If you are silent about the targeting of Iraqi women, you don't support women" yesterday.

That's a real story too. As is this.

Bel Trew‏Verified account @Beltrew 2 hours ago

This is the Euphrates in #Iraq & Unesco-listed Marshlands. Home to around 300,000 people, if they dry out people will have to leave. Under Saddam many fled to Tikrit etc. That's not possible with the security situation. So what next? We can't ignore this: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-water-shortage-unesco-garden-of-eden-bible-four-million-people-homes-latest-a8574781.html …

2 replies15 retweets26 likes

Look it, I'm real sorry that Alyssa Milano wasn't able to have a clitoral orgasm last week because Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court. It must have been a real blow for her. It must have been the worst thing that ever, ever happened in the whole wide world judging by her idiotic and incessant Tweeting. And whining.

Let's not forget her whining or the whining of so many others.

As they naval gaze and pick the lint out of their own belly buttons, taking time to reflect on me-me-me-me-always-me.

How awful. How horrifying. You do realize that nothing like this has ever, ever happened before.

Except maybe . . .

When John Roberts was confirmed to the bench.

Or when Samuel Alito was.

Or when Clarence Thomas was.

Or . . .

Oh, f**k, it happens over and over.

And guess what, Alyssa and you other useless bitches? American women go on. The real women. The ones who do the real work. Not the ones whining constantly. (Including whining to the paid staff that actually works their Twitter feeds.)

Kavanaugh is not the end of the world. Kavanaugh -- if he ends up as bad as so many believe he will be -- is not an aberration. In the US, he is the historical norm. And, over and over, we have addressed it and we have maintained our rights. I think Alyssa and the other useless bitches are confusing their own desire to wallow in victimhood with living in HULU's HANDMAID'S TALE. We don't live in that TV show (that bad TV show -- great novel, lousy TV). We live in the United States of America and if the Alyssas would stop crawling, dust themselves off and stand the f**k up, they'd see millions of American women fighting real battles every day.

They might also be able to look beyond American shores and see that people in the world are suffering much more than we are and maybe we could recognize that?

The Iraqi people who suffer -- whether it's the women now being targeted or the LGBT community or those who have no where to flee to if their homeland cannot support them -- these people suffer because of the United States.

It is our government that promised (lied) freedom and delivered ongoing war.

And I know Alyssa has to spend a lot of time getting that hairy Italian mustache removed each month but it seems like even she could take a moment to grasp that the US government has not helped the Iraqi people and is not helping them.

Last month, at THE NATIONAL INTEREST, Bonnie Kristian observed:

The turmoil in Basra may be unsurprising given the living conditions locals face, but it should also be instructive. This is what regime change, fifteen years of intervention, occupation, and reconstruction in Iraq has wrought. This is what trillions of dollars borrowed and spent—and tens of thousands of American and Iraqi lives extinguished—have purchased.

The protests in Basra are just one moment of ongoing political turmoil in Iraq, with all the security risks and human suffering that entails. They are an indictment in microcosm of Washington’s failed reliance on military intervention and nation-building as a panacea to local political problems in distant lands that don’t threaten America’s security, prosperity, or way of life.

In Basra and Iraq more generally, Americans are presented with years of evidence that U.S. military intervention has failed to achieve strategically important, sustainable outcomes despite Washington’s best efforts. “Some might argue that trying harder, investing more billions, sending yet more equipment for perhaps another 15 years will produce more favorable results,” says military historian Ret. Col. Andrew Bacevich, but this is “a mug’s game.” There is nothing available to America in Iraq that might fairly be called a military victory, and repeating the mistakes of the past will not end differently the umpteenth time around.

The same thing over and over. That's all the US government has to offer -- regardless of who heads it. And the Iraqi people suffer.

And so many people try to raise awareness of it. But we're up against little bitches who think that their bad plastic surgery and their advancing age that cost them roles is actually the greatest tragedy in the world. This is what those of us who care about real issues have to compete with.

And before the Alyssa Lying Milanos start lying and saying, "You don't care about assault!" Oh, but I do. You're the one who doesn't, Alyssa.

I stood up for Illeana Douglas -- here, yes, but also in the real world. I defended her. I called out the hideous Leslie Moonves. The Alyssa that pretends she invented MeToo never even managed to Tweet in defense of Ileana or, for that matter, against Leslie Moonves. Because Leslie had power. It's easy to go after Harvey Weinstein when he's bloodied and on the ropes, isn't it, Alyssa? Not so easy to go after Leslie who, at the time, was in charge of CBS and could employ you.

The Alyssa Milanos are the worst people in the world. She has numerous nannies to raise her children. She has no career -- don't confuse the pity cameos her husband gets her with actual roles or a career. She pays a person to Tweet for her. She has nothing but free time and instead of using it effectively, she appears to just use it pondering more and more plastic surgery while fretting whether all of the entertainment industry knows her younger husband is cheating on her (we do know, Alyssa, we do).

Day after day, they pretend that they're doing something but they do nothing and apparently Professor Katherine Helmond, on the WHO'S THE BOSS CAMPUS, wasn't able to teach her about I.F. Stone or the reality that all governments lie. Alyssa blindly believes because she's a fool. And maybe because Katherine's only real lesson is how to self-entertain -- I'll never forget the last time I saw her, 1999 in the lobby of a Marriott, plastered and hanging all over a young, 20-something male who looked uncomfortable and who ran for his life as soon as Katherine came over to say hello to me.

Poor Alyssa. She got the life teacher she deserved. And, goodness, does it show.

‏Verified account @AbbyMartin

US has 800+ military bases & special ops deployed in 70% of nations. Pentagon is world's biggest polluter & exempt from int'l treaties. Time to build up real movement fighting empire. Join @WomenMarch4Paz in DC Oct 20-21 to confront bipartisan war machine http://marchonpentagon.com 

42 replies797 retweets1,279 likes

What! Abby Martin's not paralyzed like Alyssa! Kavanaugh didn't bring her to her knees! Oh my goodness. And Abby's not the only woman who can stand up. Here's some more.

Women’s March on the Pentagon‏ @WomenMarch4Paz 23 hours ago

Join us at the Pentagon on October 21st. Hear from YahNé Ndgo and others as we call for an end to the bipartisan war machine. @YahNeNdgo #WomenRise4Peace https://www.marchonpentagon.com/march

2 replies24 retweets32 likes
Women’s March on the Pentagon Retweeted

Joanne Leon‏ @joanneleon Oct 7

Many #letterstothewarmachine will be read aloud at Women's March on the Pentagon rally Oct 21 Send yours here: https://www.marchonpentagon.com/letters #WomenRise4Peace @WomenMarch4Paz As the website says, it's nonpartisan, women-led but not exclusively for women anti-empire mvmt

4 retweets4 likes

Women’s March on the Pentagon Retweeted

Eleanor Goldfield‏ @ActivistEleanor Oct 7

Join me and a great list of speakers and musicians at the @WomenMarch4Paz on October 21! I'll be doing anti-militarization #spokenword

2 replies12 retweets21 likes

Women’s March on the Pentagon Retweeted

Women’s March on the Pentagon‏ @WomenMarch4Paz Oct 7

Join us at the Pentagon on October 21st. Hear from Mnar Muhawesh and others as we call for an end to the bipartisan war machine. @MnarMuh @MintPressNews #WomenRise4Peace https://www.marchonpentagon.com/march

4 replies60 retweets63 likes

What do you know, Abby Martin and the women above are able to stand up and they're able to speak out. They're not paralyzed by what the Senate did last Saturday. They're not wallowing in victim status. They're using their voices to call for a better world, to stand up for things that truly matter.

Cindy Sheehan's just posted this:

October 8, 2018- For immediate release

Media Contact: Cindy Sheehan: CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com

PRESS ADVISORYCountdown to Women’s March on the Pentagon

Women’s March on the Pentagon (WMOP) is excited to announce we are ready and rarin’ to go for our long anticipated march and rally at ground-zero for US imperialism.

"We envisioned this principled non-partisan march on the bi-partisan war machine at the beginning of this year. Despite obstacles, we are excited that many people have been attracted to this long over-due antiwar march in Washington, DC," said one of the lead organizers, antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, from her home in California.

This is our schedule of events for the weekend of October 20-21:

Saturday, October 20:

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

1525 Newton St NW
Washington, DC 20010

(Free, but donations to cover costs of space and refreshments will be accepted)

Noon to 4:30pm

Workshops covering:

Women’s Basic Self-defense
Protest Music History and Current Practice
Alternative Media and Citizen Journalism
Current Situation in Yemen
Civil Assistance (how to help those harmed by US Imperialism and the Pentagon budget)
(And More!)

4:30 to 6pm

Dinner on your own

6pm to 8pm
(St. Stephen’s)

Meet and Greet and Open Mic Night.
Hosted by CODEPINK

Sunday, October 21st

11am

Begin gathering at Pentagon City Metro Station
(Click for DC Metro Info)

12 noon to 12:45pm

March on Pentagon
(Click for Website)

1pm to 4pm

Rally at Pentagon
(Click for Speaker/Performer Line-up)

4pm to 6pm
Clean Up
(Stay to help us, please!)

Monday, October 22

11:30am to 1:30pm

Non-violent Act of Civil Assistance
WMOP will be feeding people who are unconscionably homeless in the wealthiest nation on earth at a local DC park.

(Place will be announced at Rally and on Website, and Facebook Event Page on October 21)

For more information or to schedule an interview with a speaker/performer or organizer, please contact

Cindy Sheehan at: CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com
or
Emma Fiala at: Emma@MarchonPentagon.com
or
Bonnie Caracciolo at: bosmarch2018@gmail.com

Disclaimer: This is NOT a pink-pussy-hatted event to only oppose Trump and Get Out the Vote for the treacherous and warmongering Democrats (or Republicans): This is a principled non-partisan march on the bi-partisan US war machine.

***

Click here to volunteer!

JOIN HERE and/or DONATE to make our dream of a peaceful, sustainable, and PROsperous (for all) future possible.

This is a real event about real issues. This isn't Alyssa blindly telling you to vote-vote-vote for the Democrats -- including those who support war, including those who are CIA, including those who are destroying the planet. Gun control starts at the Pentagon -- amen to that. Around the world, the US government has and is destroying the lives of so many.

The US occupies Iraq. In Basra, where multi-national corporations reap so much money, the people protest because their drinking water is poisoned, because they have no jobs, because they endure 150 degrees Fahrenheit days with little to no electricity. They protest and they are attacked by their own government -- the government the US put in place and supports -- and yet so many look the other way as they assume they themselves are the center of the universe.

People suffer around the world. If they are suffering because of the actions of your own government, you need to pay attention. We are all tired of having to beg for the world's attention. These are serious issues that should automatically garner attention.

Instead, when not destroying her face with plastic surgery (anyone noting that the entire right side of her face no longer matches up to the left?), Alyssa Milano distracts and dismays.

If your life has a meaning and you care about others, you can get the word out on the DC protest. It matters. The people who suffer in the crossfires of the US War Machine matter.

New content at THIRD from last night:

Ava and my piece. There's already an e-mail asking did we lose something on the March? No, we included that Tweet to promote the march -- as we've done for previous marches. Usually, we're able to include a poster for a march but we couldn't find one and were limited in time so we just included a Tweet and put it in what we hoped was a natural break in the media critique.

Oh, and in fairness to Katherine Helmond, it was two in the morning when we bumped into each other in the lobby and I was there to switch suites. So I'm no hero either. I'm the one who, at two in the morning, demands another room.

The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan and BLACK AGENDA REPORT -- updated: